To ask how you actually plan a holiday?

[TravelDreams]

I’ve got flights booked but that’s literally it. I don’t know where to turn to find things to do and everything like that

And this is why AI is so good.
Load the command into ChatGPT / Gemini:

I have booked flights to [destination] arriving on [flight number] landing into [airport]. I am staying for x nights at [insert accomodation]. The purpose of this trip is [relax / explore / educational]. I am particularly interested in [beaches / historical sites / local cuisine / religious monuments]. I enjoy walking / have limited mobility / prefer to rely on public transport / like to explore by bike. Design an itinerary for my trip, capturing all the must see tourist attractions.

I go on somewhere like booking.com to find hotels and then book direct with the hotel. Look on Tripadvisor and other social media (mainly Tiktok & Instagram) to see where people recommend going and eating.

dep, sometimes I look online, sometimes actual guidebooks but sometimes I do it on the hoof when I get there

Get your travel insurance
Sort your travel money if going abroad
Do some research into clothes you will need, any trips you want to go on
Make a list of any medications , perhaps Dr’s letter if needed if you are diabetic.

Depressing to think that just joining the herd is what a holiday is all about. Surely the point is to discover a new place and unexpected new things, and that makes doing your own research enjoyable? And the point is to think about what you want to do, not what everyone else wanted to do?

Not to mention that all of this is incredibly easy. I refuse to believe anyone who's managed to book overseas flights is incapable of buying a guidebook or two, reading a blog or two by an actual human who's been there, checking restaurant ratings on Tripadvisor or going on Google Maps to check bus and train timetables.

Well I buy books still - Lonely Planet usually and think where I want to go in the place I'm visiting (I don't usually stay in one city). And then do some research on the internet and here! People have lots of tips about places to see/stay. I might do a search on e.g. Best beaches in x (the place I'm going to) and then plan an itinerary. Would do the same for a city break but on a smaller scale.

Rome2Rio will often tell you how to get from A to B. I'm an enthusiastic user of ChatGPT for other things, but I think that would suck all the fun out of planning and anticipating a trip

I have travel insurance just always running through my bank. Money I’ll just use my Monzo card

I go to Jet2 website put my dates, nearest airport and preferences and then look at them one by one. I do it this way because I don’t know how to do it differently. People make it sound so easy when talking about it. It’s so embarrassing to say that you don’t get it. 😂

Im really grateful to @JustMyView13 as it’s exactly the example I needed.

I mean, that wasn’t what was suggested and it’s sad that’s your take on it.
The post is created because OP has drawn a blank on where to start. The use of AI helps with that. Nobody is saying you have to follow the schedule exactly, but for the time poor or uninspired it can be a great way to discover areas of a location you didn’t previously know about. Not everyone has hours available to go through guide books.
You can interact with these tools telling it what aspects you do and don’t want, and use it to explore whether certain elements of a trip align with what personally you find enjoyable.

I love my method 😍

Log into Google Maps and create your own map.

Search online for activities, restaurants etc. that you like the look of.

Pin them on the map, and colour code for activity, restaurant, bar etc.

When you’re done, have a look at clusters and see what you might be able to tie together in an itinerary.

I always book a cycling or walking tour for day 1. Then I can spot interesting places I might want to independently visit.

But you still have to inform them of all your medical conditions and surgery, if any. Also depends which country you are visiting.

🙄

I'm a travel agent and some of ChatGPT's itineraries are laughable. I wouldn't rely on it - much better to get a guidebook or chat to someone who has been.

I love a food tour as a way to explore a new city.

Use chatgpt, but also have a look for blogs written by people who have done similar.

I took my son to France, just booked flights to begin with (RyanAir), then we took trains around France, stayed in different towns (pre-booked hotels) and had an amazing time.

In addition

AI is bollocks.

OP Tripadvisor is a good start.

Just Google it. Or look on Trip Advisor ‘things to do in Sevullr’

What type of destination is it? City or beach holiday?

They’re aware, per their terms I don’t need to inform them of anything new for a year after telling them about these ones. Bizarre but that’s what they say! I’m only going to Norway

This is the same as what the books tell you though. I’ve bought the books for Oslo and it’s just the main things

There are so many online guides and often take ages to scroll through. Chatgpt gives me some ideas and then I research those myself. I wouldn’t use it without checking as it gets facts wrong.

I check out available flights then book hotels with Free cancellation with something like be booking .com then book the flights

I do quite often do a search of Mumsnet for previous threads or maybe post on here to ask for recommendations of things to do/see in a particular place. Plan accommodation around what we want to do.